Why is My Air Conditioner Making Noise?

June 28, 2015

Your air conditioning unit will always make some noise when running. Older units are louder than newer ones, so consider the age of your unit before getting too concerned about the noise that it is making. If the regular noise level from your ac unit is too much for you, one of our professionals can advise you how to muffle the sound in various ways. We at Balance Point Heating and Air Conditioning recommend a maintenance inspection once a year which will help to curb some of the noise your air conditioner makes on a regular basis.

If the noise your Air Conditioner is making is unusual or is different from its regular hum there are a few things to consider.

First and foremost always make sure that the power to your unit is turned off before starting any investigating or poking around.

Now try and describe the kind of noise that your unit is making.

Possibilities include:

Rattling: This could be from something that fell into the vents, or something is loose, a bolt, screw or fastener. It could also be your compressor rattling. If it is your compressor or anything more serious than a loose bolt you will need a technician to look into the problem further.

Grinding: Most likely this is one of the fan motors, or it possible that there is a worn bearing.

Popping: This noise will be coming from your duct work when your AC unit turns off and on. Usually this indicates a problem with your duct work and not necessarily a problem with your central air. Duct work ages just the same as anything else and requires routine maintenance to make sure it is functioning effectively.

Hissing: Unless this noise is coming from your duct work (a common problem), this could possibly be a refrigerant leak. If that is the case you will need one of our technicians to handle the problem. Call us or request service online.

We have said it before and we will say it again, your air conditioner is a piece of machinery with many moving parts and like a car it requires regular maintenance by experienced professionals to diagnose and treat problems.

Trust your ears! If your air conditioner is making a noise that is unusual or harsh and you are in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Greeley, Timnath, Johnstown, Laporte, Bellvue, Berthoud, Eaton or the surrounding communities, Call us today or request service online.